Types of leather. Genuine Leather

One of the most frequently asked questions, which readers ask me: “How can you tell if shoes or a bag are made of pigskin?” For a Muslim, it is very important what material a thing is made of.

So, pigskin. In the fashion industry, many brands use pigskin/suede to make accessories such as shoes, belts and bags because it is cheap and this reduces the price of the product. I don't know if this is due to the fact that it is easier to tan pig skins, or because pig skins are easier to get (because pigs are very fertile).

I hope that Muslims will benefit from this publication and be able to understand what kind of leather they buy. IN real life I can identify pig skin by its specific marks and texture. If we are talking about purchasing from an online store, then again there is an easy way to determine whether it is pigskin or not.

1. Physical properties.

The most important feature of pigskin is presence of a three-point pattern over the entire surface of the skin. Look closely, the three dot symbols come in many variations, but they all have something in common: the three dots are so close to each other that they form a kind of group. I call it Mickey Mouse symbol, because... well, doesn't it seem like it?

Another sign is that pores are visible over the entire surface. On a typical pig skin, you can easily notice the pores. Some manufacturers try their best to disguise it so that the pores are no longer visible, but Allah is Merciful: what is wrong cannot be completely hidden.

So, how can you recognize pigskin even from a photograph? Very simple. You will immediately notice where it is.

For example, this insole looks like it’s made of pigskin.

This is obvious because there are three points.

This is another version of the pigskin insole. By enlarging the photo, you again notice the three-point pattern, the pores are clearly visible.

Pig leather insole in neutral tones.

Can you see the pores? Yeah. So it's pigskin!

This is what I call “pork chamois.” Even in suede, the pores are clearly visible and a three-point pattern can often be seen.

And this is what I call “smoothed” pigskin. I think it's the skin of an old pig.

Do you think this is pigskin? Yes!

Here is another option for “smoothed” pigskin. The pores are strongly smoothed, but visible.

These shoes from the Sandro label may fool you: it's easy to think that the leather is calfskin. But - wait a minute - don't you see the three-point pattern?

And here it looks like peeled pig skin. The Asos label itself is made from sheep.

If you see that the label says that the leather is not pigskin, be sure to look at the sides of the shoes, because sometimes some brands, in order to reduce the cost of products, trim the sides of their shoes with pigskin. Here are some examples:

How do you know that it is NOT PIG SKIN? Remember what the skin of other animals looks like.

The typical skin of a young calf is smoother and more even than the skin of an adult bull. The grain on the leather is almost invisible, it is very smooth.

Small pores are visible on sheepskin, but they are not grouped in groups of three, as is the case with pigskin. Take a look at the Asos label I brought to your attention above.

Buffalo leather is similar to mature bull leather, but is grainier and quite heavy for bags. And, like calfskin, the pores are not visible, unlike pigskin and sheepskin.

Deer leather is a bit like young calf leather in that it doesn't have visible pores (as I understand it) and isn't "grainy" like buffalo leather. It feels different from all the others.

Ostrich skin is easy to recognize. The pores on it are very noticeable, they are raised and clearly visible. In this way it is similar to pigskin, but the pattern of ostrich leather is single-point, there are no groups of three points.

Examples of calfskin insoles:

It's not pigskin because it's not pores, but perforations.

Sometimes it happens that you have doubts. And then it is very likely that the skin is pork. For example, like with these McQ shoes:

Doubt immediately creeps in: this is either smoothed pigskin or calfskin. But if you look closely, you can find confirmation that the skin is pork.

2. Smell.

It is very difficult to describe the smell in the text - you have to smell it yourself. I can say that pigskin has a pungent odor, vaguely similar to the smell of burnt leather, in contrast to the intoxicating aroma of calfskin.

One day I bought boots online. After looking at the photo of the insole, I was sure that it was not made of pigskin. There was no photo of the sides on the Internet, so I bought it blindly. When the package arrived and I opened it, I smelled a familiar smell. The smell of pigskin? But where could the pigskin be? And she's on the sides!

3. Price.

Another simple way to determine whether a product is made from pigskin (especially if you buy from overseas online stores) is to look at the price. Most cheap shoes will have pigskin insoles because it keeps the cost down.

As for brands, I avoid many of them because their shoes have pigskin insoles. I say this with confidence because I saw these shoes in real life - in shops in London.

These are the following brands:

• Kurt Geiger (especially cheap models, with rare exceptions).
• Hudson.
• Swear.
• Most of the stores mediocre", for example, Topman, River Island, New Look.
• H&M sometimes uses pigskin insoles, and sometimes synthetic ones.
• Most of the shoes are Asos.
• Most of the shoes are nubuck from Nike.

As for brands like Gucci, Prada, Fendi, I generally agree that they use calfskin. That's why they are so expensive.

The most important - CHECK BEFORE BUYING. You need to make sure that the skin is not pork. Maybe even at Gucci or Fendi you will find pigskin... (by the way, women's handbags made of pigskin were produced under the Gucci label, which was openly reported).

If in doubt, don't buy. As a Muslim, I never buy pigskin products. Dot.

Posted by Alexey Degtyarev

13/07/2017

Buyers choose Italian leather bags for many reasons, but the main one is, of course, the highest quality genuine leather from which they are made. For Italy, leather production is a traditional occupation. Local manufactories began tanning leather at the dawn of centuries, have been doing this for hundreds of years and have achieved perfection in this.

Nowadays natural Italian leather is known and bought all over the world. They are made from it best shoes, bags, clothes, wallets, etc. The phrase “Italian leather” has become synonymous with the highest quality and special chic.

Let's talk in more detail about leather production in Italy and the types of leather that are used in the production of Italian bags, which can be bought in our store.

Cow leather is used to produce bags, shoes, belts and wallets. There are many leather manufacturers in Italy, but a common problem with small-scale production is that they cannot provide the required quantity, so the factories from which we order Italian leather bags prefer to work with large manufacturers such as ItalPel.

This is a large concern that has several factories and produces almost all types of genuine leather.

What types of Italian genuine leather are there? Italy produces a huge number of types of genuine leather, but let's focus on the main types.

Skin Cuoio

This is the most traditional leather and the most natural leather of all, so to speak. When making it, virtually no chemicals are used and it is dyed natural dyes based on linseed oil. In the production of such leather, a lot is used manual labor and the raw materials for its production require the highest quality, so products made from it are quite expensive.

But the high price is justified by the excellent quality of genuine leather, which is worn indefinitely. In addition, the knowledge that this is a completely natural product makes this skin especially chic.

There are many bags made of this leather in our store and we pay special attention to them. You can view the bags made from Cuoio leather sold by us at this link (opens in a new window):

Nappa leather

This type of leather is also called Sauvaggio (savaggio), there are also names like “husky” leather, calfskin,calfskin is a type of soft leather. The skins of young animals are used for its production. Due to special processing, it turns out to be surprisingly soft and delicate to the touch. At the same time, this leather is durable and wears well. It almost does not “wear” over time, but on the contrary, it acquires a noble appearance and looks better. The technology allows you to dye leather in different colors, so you can make products from this leather in almost any color range.

There are always quite a lot of bags made of this leather in our store. You can see the latest models of Italian nappa leather bags (sauvaggio) at this link (opens in a new window)

Dollar leather(Dollar)

This type of soft leather is often mistakenly called pigskin. This is the same cow leather as Nappa or Cuoio. It is thicker than Nappa and has light embossing. Just like Nappa leather, it is dyed in different colors.

Dollaro leather is very resistant to external influences. It is almost impossible to break it. Like any natural leather, Dollaro leather is elastic, but according to our observations, products made from it practically do not change shape over time.

Bags and other Dollaro leather products that can be bought in our store can be viewed at this link (will open in a new tab):

Leather: types of leather, methods of leather preparation.

Leather- This is a strong and durable material that is made from the skins of various animals. Leather production is one of the oldest. Man has long learned to process leather and use it to make clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and various household utensils. Genuine leather is classified according to several criteria: by purpose, by the type of raw materials used, by the method of dressing and finishing.

Methods of tanning leather

Cured leather is generally divided into three main types: raw leather, rawhide and tanned leather.

Raw leather (raw, golyo)- leather material of the most ancient production method. Usually, its inner core is only cleaned and the wool is removed, that is, this is what is called “golyo” in the leather industry.

Rawhide (rawhide, ball)- leather material of the ancient method of tanning. It is produced by loosening the skin structure and fixing this condition with fatty substances. It was widespread, but has now been practically replaced by tanned leather.

Tanned leather (sheepskin)- gole (raw leather) treated with tanning substances to impart plasticity, strength, wear resistance, etc. In the old days, oak bark was used in the process of tanning leather, hence the name “tanning.”

Despite the differences in methods and recipes for leather processing, there are common required steps. The first universal operation is fleshing, in which the skin is deprived of the remains of meat, fat and subcutaneous fatty tissue. Then, if required, dehairing or liming is carried out, removing hair and epidermis. The resulting product is called let's go.

Mereya- this is a pattern on the surface of the skin, formed by traces of hair bags removed along with the epidermis as a result of dressing the skin.

Bakhtarma- the inner surface of the skin formed after fleshing.

Types of leather tanning

After the initial processing of the leather, tanning begins. By modern ideas Tanning is the process of bonding collagen molecules with tanning agent particles (cross-linking molecules). There are now many types of tanning:

Vegetable tanning— in the dressing process, oak bark and other ingredients obtained from plants are used. The result is an elastic material Brown. The desired shade is achieved by varying the quantity and quality of the ingredients used and selecting the color of the raw materials. Vegetable tanned leather is not water resistant. When exposed to moisture, it changes color, and if it absorbs liquid and then dries, it will shrink in size (shrink) and harden, becoming less elastic. In hot water, this type of leather shrinks greatly and becomes a hard, brittle material, which affects its quality and limits the possibility of its use.

Iron tanning- used very rarely due to the negative properties of ferric iron to catalyze the destruction of collagen.

Aluminum tanning— For tanning, aluminum alum is usually used, which upon hydrolysis forms tanning basic aluminum salts. Compared to chromium salts, tanning basic aluminum salts give a weak tanning effect. Aluminum tanning is used mainly for the production of glove leather (husky). To increase heat resistance, it is possible to simultaneously use aluminum and organic tanning agents.

Chrome tanning— Trivalent chromium salts are used for tanning. The softness and elasticity of chrome tanned leather is higher than that of tannin tanned leather. More resistant to action high temperatures. In humid conditions they get wet faster and dry out slower. Chrome tanning agent colors bakhtarma gray-green.

Zirconium tanning— zirconium tanned leather has good strength and abrasion resistance. Zirconium tanning agent colors bakhtarma white.

Titanium tanning— titanium-tanned leathers have basically the same quality as zirconium-tanned leathers and do not stain the bakhtarma.

Fat tanning— During fat tanning, the meat is treated with fats containing unsaturated fatty acids. These include fats from marine animals (seals, sperm whales and fish). The mechanism of fat tanning is complex and is currently interpreted in different ways. It is usually believed that during the tanning process, oxidation of unsaturated fats occurs due to the addition of air oxygen at the site of double bonds. Oxidation products enter into a chemical bond primarily with the amino groups of collagen. Fat tanning is used to produce one type of leather - suede. Fat tanning gives the leather high water resistance and softness. In contact with water suede leather At first it lets it through, but as it swells it becomes waterproof. This property also allows suede to be used as special filters.

Tannide tanning— In tannide tanning, vegetable tannids and synthetic tannids (syntans) are used. They are compounds of the carbocyclic series, being derivatives of polyhydric phenols. The raw materials for obtaining plant tannids are plant extracts containing tanning agents (for example, willow, spruce, oak, quebracho). The raw materials for the production of syntans are phenols, resorcinol, naphthalene resotane, etc. Tannides bind to the amino groups of collagen molecules. In addition, they are deposited as filler in the skin. Tannids give the skin a number of valuable properties: increased thickness, plasticity. They are used mainly in the production of plantar leathers. Currently, due to low heat resistance and wear resistance, pure tannin tanning is not used. Tannid tanning is usually combined with chrome, titanium and zirconium. This allows you to obtain leather with the advantages of these tannings.

Aldehyde tanning— Of the aldehydes used for tanning, formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are used. They are not currently widespread. Formaldehyde tanned leathers are thin. Tanning with glutaraldehyde is of great interest. In terms of physical and mechanical properties, glutar leather is close to chrome leather, but is characterized by high sweat resistance, resistance to alkalis, softness and elasticity. Due to the imparting of high sweat resistance and microbiological resistance to the leather, such tanning is advisable to use for the production of calf leathers.

Combined tanning— Combinations of tanning agents are used to give the leather useful quality each type of tanning. For example, the use of chrome compounds for tanning gives leather high wear resistance and heat resistance; tanids - plasticity and increased thickness; zirconium compounds - density, strength, etc. Of the combined tannings, the most widely used for the production of plantar leathers are: XP (chrome-vegetable), XTS (chrome-titanium-syntan).

If tanning agents penetrate poorly into the structure of the dermis (in the case of thick and dense leather tissue), a skin defect such as untanning occurs (in the form of a light stripe in the center of the cross section of the skin).

Neprodub

Types of leather by type of raw material used

Cattle hide (cattle)

Calfskin- considered the highest quality and most valuable of leathers. It is used to make shoes, clothing, belts, accessories, furniture upholstery and is an affordable and popular material for making bags. Calfskin is smooth, soft, durable, does not break or form cracks on its surface. Production includes chrome and vegetable tanning. Calfskin bags are very elegant and do not wear out for a long time.

Calfskin, depending on the age of the animal, is divided into the following types:

1. Slimy- skin of unborn calves. Skin thickness is from 1.0 to 1.4 mm. Used for the production of haberdashery leathers.

2. Opoek- skin of calves up to 6 months old breastfeeding. Soft, delicate, elastic, it is considered the most valuable leather. Skin thickness is from 0.5 to 1.4 mm.

3. Outgrowth- skin of calves up to one year old, eating plant foods. The skin is less elastic and soft than the skin. Skin thickness is from 0.7 to 1.6 mm.

4. Half-skin- skin of calves up to 1.5 years of age. The leather is tougher and can be sawed. Skin thickness is from 1.0 to 3.0 mm.

5. Yalovka- the skin of a calving cow is denser and more uniform in thickness; It is superior in quality to bull and bull. The skin of a calving cow is distinguished by a small saddle cloth and large, thin flaps. Cow leather varies in thickness from 1.2 to 4.0 mm. The leather is sawed.

6. Goby- skin of a young bull (thickness up to 5.00 mm). Used for the production of shoe and technical leather.

7. Bychina- skin of castrated bulls. Has sparse hair. It is used for the production of shoe, saddlery and technical leather, rawhide.

8. Buffalo- bull leather. It is the thickest and heaviest among cattle skins, has a rough and loose structure. The heaviest and thickest is buffalo leather. Due to their thickness and strength, such leathers have a long service life, but they are rarely used in production. Compared to beef, it has thicker flanges, collars, and rumps; more wrinkled skin. Used for the production of technical leather and rawhide.

Sheep and goat skins

Sheep leather have a large thickness of the papillary dermis layer - from 50% in fine-wooled animals to 80% in coarse-haired ones. Such skins are characterized by low strength and good ductility. Due to the weak connection between the reticular and papillary dermis, lag of these layers may occur. Used for the production of chevrette and haberdashery leathers.

Goatskin- durable, soft and thin material with beautiful grain. Goat skins have a large thickness of the mesh layer (up to 60%) and a dense interweaving of collagen bundles, which makes these skins dense and durable despite their small thickness. Used to produce chevro.

1. Chevro(from the French “chevreau” - kid) - leather made from the skins of kids up to 6 months old. It is considered one of the most expensive lame tanned leathers. Very beautiful, dense, elastic chevro leather has a strong structure with an original pattern on the front side in the form of small wrinkles. Used for shoe uppers (including children's), haberdashery, clothing, furniture upholstery.

2. Kozlina- goat skin made from an adult goat.

3. Chevrette- leather made from sheep skins by lame tanning. The pattern of the mere is similar to chevro. Used for shoe uppers, clothing and haberdashery.

Pig skin

Pigskin- the most economical and unpresentable type of leather, differs in appearance and structure from cattle leather. Pigskin is now mainly used as a lining material and rarely as a base material. This is due to the fact that pig skin is not elastic enough, gets wet quickly, has a rough and hard surface, and also has a persistent odor. In addition, it is not strong enough, and the ugly perforated texture in the product does not look interesting.

Horse skin

Horse hides are not often used in leather goods production. Due to numerous highly developed sweat and sebaceous glands, the dermis is looser than that of cattle skins. The front is more suitable for making soft leathers; Khaz is used to make tough leather.

1. Slimy- skins of unborn or stillborn foals. There is almost no hair, the mane is not developed; its properties are close to that of alcohol. Used for the production of haberdashery leathers.

2. Foal- the skin of dairy foals is a valuable material. The skin is uniform in thickness and has almost no defects, which is why it is highly valued. Used for the production of haberdashery leather and shoe upper leather.

3. Urostok- the skin of foals that ate plant foods.

4. Marking- skins of young horses up to one year old. It is used for the production of shoe upper leather.

5. Large horse raw materials- area up to 400 sq. dm., thickness 1.5-3 mm.

Deer skin

Deer skin- very elastic leather, has high strength and heat protection. The most common material used to make deerskin is suede. Used for the production of gloves, briefcases, bags, wallets. The warmest gloves are made from deer leather.

Moose skin- elegant, durable, silky to the touch leather, similar in properties to deer leather, but has a slightly more porous structure. Used for men's tailoring outerwear and accessories.

Camel skin

Camel skin produces low-quality, low-strength leather, used mainly for leather goods.

Cutting raw materials from finished leather

In production, leather is cut and has various configurations. This is determined by the size of the hide and the range of finished leathers.

- Whole skin.
- Half-skin- half of the skin, cut along the spine line.
- Kulat- skin with the collar cut off.
- Vorotok- part of the skin from the neck part, usually has many defects.
- Cheprak- the most valuable part of the skin is the dorsal part, which does not have a floor and a collar. It can make up up to 55% by area of ​​the entire skin area. Can be divided into “upper saddlecloth” and “lower saddlecloth”. Typically used for the production of belts, bags and other products requiring high density raw materials.
- Krupon- a saddle cloth cut in the shape of a rectangle.

Areas of skin with the largest number defects:

- Paws.
- Paula- part of the skin from the peritoneum.
- Flanks- areas of skin adjacent to the paws on the ventral side.

Horse hide is divided into the following sections:

- Haz- back of the skin (croup and legs).
- Spiegel- compacted areas of skin located above the articulation of the pelvis and thigh bones. Khaza plot.
- Peredina- skin without haz. The most valuable part.

Classification of finished leather by purpose

- Shoe leathers.
- Clothes and haberdashery leather- for sewing clothes, hats, gloves, bags, wallets, etc. For these purposes, chevrette, husky, suede, and cattle leather are used. According to the type of tanning, they mainly use chrome and chromotannide tanned leather.
- Saddle leather- for human and horse equipment. Cattle and pig leather is used.
- Technical leather- for mechanisms (for example, drive belts).

A broader classification includes the following items:

- Leather for shoe uppers- for these purposes, they use chrome-tanned cattle leather, horse fronts and markings, chevro with various finishes - nubuck, velor, split leather, varnish. Yuft is used for the upper of heavy shoes.
- Lining leather— intended for shoe lining parts. Pork skins are mainly used for these purposes.
-Leather for the bottom of shoes- used for the manufacture of insoles and shoe soles. For these purposes, pig skins and cattle skins, as well as horse hazes, are used.
- Glove leathers- produced from sheepskin, goat, pork, dog and horse fronts.
- Furniture leather- for upholstery of furniture, car interiors. The leather used is chrome-tanned cattle.
- Parchment— dried, untanned leather from cattle skins. Characterized by high hardness, used in the manufacture musical instruments.
-Rawness— untanned leather of cattle, pigs and moose. Used to make horse harness and equipment.

Types of leather

There are many classifications of leather, which differ in the type and age of the animal from which they are obtained, as well as in the methods of their processing and coloring.

Here are some examples:

Cowhide- its thickness, unlike calfskin, is 2.5-5 mm, and the size of the skins can exceed 2.5 sq.m. Traditionally it is called “saddlery”. Initially, it was used for the production of saddles, harnesses and other elements of harness. Currently, bull meat is used, as a rule, to make denim belts, ethnic-style bags, trunks and backpacks. This type of leather is better suited for manual and mechanical embossing than others. Due to the thickness and strength of the leather, products made from it can last almost forever.

Cowhide

An example of a leather jacket made from cowhide. The photo shows the thickness of the leather and its characteristic texture.

Buffalo leather- in its main characteristics it is very close to bovine leather, but the skins have more large size and an interesting “coarse-grained” (or “crinkled”) texture of the front surface. Resistant to moisture and mechanical damage. Very popular in the manufacture of jackets and accessories for bikers. Unfortunately, this skin type is not very common in Russia.

Buffalo leather

Buffalo leather bag.

Cowhide- plastic, elastic, durable leather with an impressive natural texture on the front side. Takes it well different kinds dressing, processing and coloring. Allows you to obtain a significant range of leather materials of various colors and textures, including elite and exclusive ones. It has a wide range of applications, including: sewing clothes, shoes and haberdashery, upholstery of furniture, upholstery and decoration of car interiors, residential and office premises, manufacturing of decorative and gift items.

Cowhide

Cow's skin- durable leather, less thick and stiff than bovine leather. It has a pleasant natural texture and is wear-resistant. Used for the manufacture of haberdashery goods, outerwear, shoes and accessories in a moderate price range.

Cow's skin

Lady's bag from cow leather.

Calfskin- thin, soft, plastic, silky to the touch leather, has a natural “breathable” structure, high strength and wear resistance. The characteristics, uses, and costs of calfskin vary depending on the age of the animals. The skin of dairy calves (up to 6 months) - calf - drapes perfectly and keeps its shape, has high elasticity and resistance to deformation. High-quality clothing and accessories are made from it. The skin of calves up to one year of age - the outgrowth - is thicker, less elastic and is used for the manufacture of high-quality shoes, bags and other haberdashery products and accessories. The toughest and densest skin of calves up to 18 months of age is half-leather. It is used for making quality shoes, bags, suitcases and various souvenirs, as well as in interior design.

Calfskin

Opoek— Soft, elastic leather obtained from the skins of suckling calves. The most valuable leather. The fibers are thin, elastic, dense weave. The hair of a calf is thicker, finer and more beautiful than that of an adult animal. Calf leather turns out soft, full, with a beautiful grain.

Opoek

Outgrowth— the skin of a calf that has switched to plant food and changes its primary hair during the process of molting. The quality of the leather is worse than that of the felt, the weave of the fibers is weaker. The finished leather is smooth, thick, with a beautiful measure, but not as full as opoek. Shoe uppers and leather goods are made from it.

Outgrowth

Pigskin— rather thin and light leather with a characteristic large-pore texture. It accepts dressing and coloring well, but is not durable or water resistant. Used for the mass production of inexpensive haberdashery goods, clothing, shoes, accessories, upholstery and lining materials.

Pigskin

Wallet made of pigskin.

Horse leather- fairly dense, high-strength leather of medium plasticity, requiring quite a long processing time to achieve quality. Used for the manufacture of high-quality men's outerwear, hats, shoes, accessories, as well as natural upholstery and lining materials.

Horse leather jacket.

Goatskin- delicate and soft, very thin and durable, has a unique wave-like pattern, is quite waterproof, retains heat well, is plastic and elastic. Used to make high quality elegant accessories and light outerwear.

Goatskin

Sheepskin (sheep skin)- flexible, soft, elastic skin, with high extensibility. It is perfectly processed and retains its desired shape. Considered one of the the best materials for the production of high-quality fashion clothing, hats and accessories.

Sheepskin

Men's sheepskin jacket.

Deerskin— Leather that is processed using fat extracted from animal brains or other types of fats. The end result is an elastic, durable, velvety material similar to suede. Retains its shape well even with frequent changes in temperature and humidity. Perfectly retains heat, protects from wind and moisture. This type of leather is commonly used to make briefcases, bags, purses and wallets.

Deerskin

Moose skin- elegant, durable, silky to the touch leather, similar in properties to deer leather, but has a slightly more porous structure. Used for sewing men's outerwear and accessories.

Moose skin

This is what the details of a hunting jacket made of elk leather look like.

Reptile and exotic animal leather- very expensive and noble leathers. These are skins - crocodile, python, monitor lizard, ostrich, kangaroo. IN Lately designers paid attention to eel skin.

Monitor lizard skin

Reptile skin

Eel skin

Crocodile skin- characterized by noble beauty, complex, time-consuming and labor-intensive processing, strength, elasticity, absolute resistance to moisture and dirt, and very high cost. Based on raw materials, properties and price, they are divided into: caiman leather - tougher and less durable; actual crocodile skin and alligator skin. Footwear, clothing, haberdashery and accessories made of crocodile leather are made primarily by hand by the highest class craftsmen and adorn the collections of the world's leading designers.

Crocodile skin

Crocodile leather bag.

Snake skin is smooth and elastic, with fantastic patterns and textures, strong, durable and perfectly resistant to various types of dressing, processing and coloring. The most popular are python and cobra leather. Snakeskin is used to make shoes, clothing and accessories, giving even the smallest item originality and uniqueness.

Snake skin

Cowboy style wallet made of snakeskin.

Ostrich leather- dense, flexible, quite durable leather, has a very impressive texture on the front surface. One of the most popular materials in the collections of many famous designers. Used for the manufacture of shoes, outerwear, haberdashery items, decorative elements and interior decoration.

Ostrich leather

Ostrich leather gloves. The characteristic texture is visible.

Kangaroo leather- plastic and springy, light and durable, has high breathability and hygroscopicity, perfectly retains its properties and shape in finished products. Used for sewing clothes, shoes, including sports shoes, haberdashery and accessories.

Kangaroo leather

Hiking boots made of kangaroo leather.

Shark skin— considered the most durable among natural leathers, while being light and elastic. In its natural state it is covered with very hard and sharp scales, which are quite difficult to remove. Shoes, outerwear, haberdashery items and various accessories, decorative elements and souvenirs are made from shark skin.

Shark skin

Shark skin wallet, handmade.

Stingray skin- has a very attractive fine-grained texture of the front surface, is very durable and difficult to manufacture and process, but is waterproof, resistant to dirt and does not require special care. Used to make high-quality outerwear, shoes, haberdashery and accessories, decorative elements and even women's jewelry.

Stingray skin

Iphone case made of stingray leather.

Boiled leather- vegetable tanned leather, which has been immersed in water to increase its strength hot water, into boiling wax, or similar substances. Historically, such leather was used as armor due to its hardness and light weight, and was also used for book binding.

Boiled leather bag.

Crust(Krust) is a general designation for dense leathers with a preserved natural grain surface, obtained primarily from the hides of cattle. Such leathers undergo chrome or chrome-free tanning and are subjected to top or through dyeing. To protect from moisture, the front surface of the crust is treated with natural wax, while maintaining the natural breathability of the skin. Crust is used for the manufacture of shoes, haberdashery and office products, furniture upholstery, the manufacture of goods for riding (saddles, harnesses) and special-purpose goods (sheaths, bags, holsters, etc.). Products made from trust are durable; with prolonged use in places of bends and constant friction, they acquire more dark color(patination) and the effect of natural aging.

Krust

Vegan(Vegan) - crust tanned with substances of natural (vegetable) origin. To obtain vegan, both cattle hides and pig skin, with a thickness of 1 to 3 mm, are used. Designed specifically for the manufacture of carved elements, carving and embossing, which are widespread in subcultures, among bikers, as well as in the manufacture of traditional elements of costume and everyday life of residents of the Western United States (belts, backpacks, holsters, scabbards, etc.). Vegan is used to make decorative and gift items, accessories and household items in ethnic, “country” and “crazy” styles, elements of traditional costumes, and riding goods (saddles, harnesses).

Vegan

Velours(French velours - velvet, from Latin villosus - hairy, shaggy) - leather made from pork, less often sheep skins, chrome tanned with the front surface processed by grinding. Velor is an inverted leather, with the bakhtarma on the outside and the front side (mereya) on the inside. Sometimes the velor on the reverse side is tucked under the suede. This material can be equally soft and thin, or hard and thick, it all depends on the processing technology. Used for making shoe uppers, clothing and leather goods.

Velours

Gloves made of natural velor.

Suede— fat-tanned leather (i.e., raw hides that have been subjected to preliminary preparation. During tanning, they are impregnated with fats). Used for the manufacture of shoes, gloves, haberdashery, outerwear, jackets, skirts, and also as a filtering and polishing material. High-quality shoe suede is obtained from the skins of deer calf, outgrowth and Russian short-tailed sheep, technical - from the sheepskins of Russian long-tailed sheep, rubbing - from the skins of adult deer, Russian sheepskin. Suede has high ductility and porosity, which makes it highly breathable. Suede is particularly soft, which it retains not only after soaking in water, but also after washing in soapy water, which is why Suede is also called “washable leather”. This material is less wear-resistant than smooth leather and requires careful care.

Suede

Laika— Thin, soft, elastic skin. In the old days it was made from dogs - hence the name; now it is mainly made from the skins of lambs and kids using chrome or chrome-fat tanning. The surface of the measure should be perfectly smooth, without wrinkles. Despite its softness and tenderness, husky is quite durable and wear-resistant. Mainly used for making gloves, decorative items and jewelry, much less often - in the manufacture light shoes and haberdashery. Laika does not tolerate moisture well, and after drying it loses its shape and properties. Laika products require proper care.

Laika

Laika gloves.

Nappa— Thin semi-aniline leather made from cattle hides and sheepskin. May have a thickness from 0.5 to 1.0 mm. Nappa leather is an extremely soft and flexible material commonly used to produce high-quality wallets, toiletry sets, haberdashery, various accessories and decorative items.

Nappa

Napplak— Leather with varnish applied. Most often it is lacquered nappa.

Napplak

Nubuck(nubuck) - fine-haired chrome-tanned leather with the front surface sanded with fine-grained abrasive materials (for example, sand). It is used for the manufacture of haberdashery, parts of shoe uppers and upholstery of upholstered furniture.

Nubuck is similar to suede, but is made from other types of leather, usually from cattle. Nubuck is less protected from dirt and greasing faster than suede. Nubuck requires careful attention, especially in the first month of wearing. Nubuck, like a sponge, absorbs any moisture and it will be good if you are especially careful during this period. Later it goes away. Remember that light-colored nubuck items darken over time, and dark ones become lighter. Nubuck is durable and wear-resistant, with proper care.

Nubuck

There are: natural nubuck, artificial nubuck, nubuck-oil.

Natural nubuck made from genuine leather. It has a weak pile on the front surface, which gives the skin a good appearance- it becomes velvety. Nubuck leather is made of genuine leather and has good breathability. The disadvantages of this leather include low wear resistance and the need for product care. Products made from natural nubuck must be cleaned with special products.

Natural nubuck

Artificial nubuck or synthetic is much cheaper than nubuck made from genuine leather. This is a multilayer polymer material that has a velvety structure and is similar in appearance to natural nubuck. Synthetic nubuck, unlike natural nubuck, does not absorb water and has higher wear resistance.

Artificial well-well

Nubuck-oil- This is nubuck, which was protected from moisture during the production process by treating it with fat impregnation. Nubuck is soft and velvety to the touch, while oil nubuck is damp to the touch and heavier than regular nubuck. It is more wear-resistant and unpretentious than regular nubuck.

Nubuck-oil

Crazy(Crazy) - sophisticated leather with an elegant matte face and a pull-up effect. Unlike nubuck, after sanding it undergoes a special stretching treatment and a wax coating. This treatment gives the effect of lightening and “floating” the color in places where the skin is stretched. It is also used for making shoes and as a furniture material.

Crazy

Morocco- high-quality, thin, soft leather of juicy bright colors, produced by vegetable tanning, usually from goat skins, less often from the skins of sheep, calves and foals. It has high strength, resistance to contamination and mechanical damage, and has an elegant, rich appearance. Used for making stylish bags and accessories, decorative items, jewelry and items national clothes. The secret of its production has been known in Russia since the 12th century.

Morocco

Split- natural leather material obtained mechanical separation- sanding - natural leather into layers, usually from 3 to 6 layers. Chromium and chrome-fat leathers of cattle and pigs are subjected to exfoliation. By lamination, the front, middle and back (bakhtarmyan) splits are obtained. Thin grain splits are used to produce high-quality haberdashery and photo leathers. Thick front and middle splits form split velor, which is used for the manufacture of technical footwear, workwear and for the manufacture of furniture leather.

Split

Split velor

Cheprak(butt) - heavy, dense, thick leather produced by fat tanning from cattle hides taken from the back of the animal. This type of product is usually used for leather for belts for both men and women, since this is the densest part of the leather.

Cheprak

Shora— Dense, thick leather, produced by fat tanning from cattle skins, is more plastic than saddle cloth.

Shora

Shagreen(English shagreen leather, shagreen, French chagrin) - a rough and porous type of untanned leather with a decorative convex-grained texture, made from the dorsal part of the skins of horses or kulans and usually dyed in green color. Shagreen these days is usually made from goat and sheep skins.

Shagreen

Galisha(French galuchat) - shagreen obtained from the skins of stingrays and sharks, which have a natural granular structure. It is used to make shoes, outerwear, haberdashery items and various accessories, decorative elements and souvenirs.

Galisha

Kid(French chevreau, English kidskin) - Soft, dense, durable leather made from goat skins by chrome tanning. On the surface it has a peculiar pattern in the form of small wrinkles. Used to make gloves and shoe uppers. It is also used to make various haberdashery items, decorative elements and souvenirs.

Kid

Chevrette(Chevrette) - elastic, viscous, dense and loose leather obtained from young sheepskin by chrome tanning. The pattern of the front surface resembles chevro, but is much less durable and of poorer quality. Used for the manufacture of outerwear, shoes and haberdashery. To increase strength, loose chevrette is treated with polymer and other materials. A more durable type of chevrette, better suited for sewing shoes, is obtained from the skins of sheep of coarse-wool steppe breeds.

Chevrette

Cordovan(Cordovan) - durable, strong, elastic exclusive vegetable tanned leather with a shiny smooth front surface. It is made from separate sections of horse hide by very long hand-dressing (about 6 months). Cordovan is waterproof, durable, easy to clean, and retains its shine for a long time. Used for sewing exclusive men's shoes.

Cordovan

Famous Indy boots from Cordovan.

Yuft— Thick leather produced by fat tanning from cattle skins taken from the belly of the animal. Significantly softer and more flexible than saddle cloth or blinders. It is made from cow or cow raw materials and the skins of one-year-old bulls, with the exception of veal raw materials. After washing and fleshing, the raw materials are subjected to ash, washing, trampling and kneading in pounding and drums, cutting, shavings, squeezing the face, boiling in jelly, soaking in weak tanning juice and then juice and powder tanning. Yuft comes in white, red and black. The best leathers are selected for white yuft.

Yuft

Cowhide— “Yalovy” in Slavic languages ​​meant animals that had not yet given birth. Cowhide for boots was made from the skins of one-year-old bulls or cows that had not yet given birth. This type of leather was optimal for long-lasting and comfortable shoes. Older or younger animals were not suitable - soft skin calves were not yet strong enough, and the thick skins of old cows and bulls, on the contrary, were too stiff and heavy to wear.

Cow boots

Chromium— Chrome foal is considered to be chrome skins made from the skins of foals. This subtype of leather is produced in very small quantities, since the bulk of the raw materials is used for the production of fur. The thickness of the skins ranges from 0.4 to 1.0 mm. These raw materials are mainly used for the manufacture of officer's chrome boots.

Chrome boots

Kirza- an abbreviation for the Kirov plant, where mass production of these products began during the Great Patriotic War, is a dense, durable multi-layer fabric. The term is more often used in relation to shoe tarpaulin - a composite material consisting of multilayer fabric treated with film-forming substances (actual tarpaulin). Used as a leather substitute. The surface of shoe tarpaulin is embossed to imitate the texture of pigskin. It is mainly used in the production of the tops of army boots, as well as for the production of rubberized drive belts, pouches, and tablets.

Tarpaulin boots

Aniline leather(aniline leather) - leather dyed with organic dyes with minimal technological processing. It is the highest quality of all leathers. It is characterized by marks caused by nature, such as scars and different color shades. It is this type of leather that is more sensitive and prone to patination (acquiring an antique look) during use.

Aniline leather

Smooth skin— made from the highest quality raw materials, not polished. Only the fur is removed. The pores of the skin remain in their natural state: the skin “breathes” and, at the same time, the service life of the product increases. Products made from this type of leather are more wear-resistant. During wear, a natural “patina” appears on the surface of the product and it becomes more beautiful every year. The highest quality furniture and shoes are made from smooth leather.

Smooth skin

Sanded leather- the leather is sanded and broken. It is sanded on one side, where natural pores are present. The other side is smooth. Used to make shoes, haberdashery, and clothing.

Sanded leather

Embossed leather- leather in which the pattern on the front surface is obtained using molds or stamps. Using embossing, defects and imperfections on the facial surface of the skin are eliminated. The resulting pattern can imitate the skin of reptiles (snakes, crocodiles) and exotic animals.

Embossed leather

Parchment- leather, which got its name from the name of the Greek city of Pergamum. This is untanned leather made from the skins of lambs, kids, and calves. It is used to make musical instruments, such as drums, some machine parts, book bindings, and women's jewelry. In the old days it served as the main material for writing.

Parchment

Belt leather- smooth leather that was originally used to make driving pulley belts. This type of leather is often used to make briefcases and wallets. It is quite thick, hard and smooth to the touch. Belt leather is the only type of leather used to make luxury products that can maintain its shape without the need for a frame. This material is heavier than smooth leather.

Belt leather

Leather belt

Fish skin— Fish skin manufacturing began in ancient times; it used to be one of the main materials for sewing clothes and shoes. Fish skin is a material with excellent consumer properties, beautiful and varied texture. Leather is produced from fish processing waste and has excellent development prospects. Each skin is good in its own way. Salmon is cellular, carp is shaggy, sturgeon has spikes and stars. Now fish skin has begun to be used in industrial production; it is used to make clothes, shoes, various accessories and decorative items.

Fish skin

Fish skin shoes

patent leather- This is chrome-tanned leather with a varnish coating or duplicated with a varnish film, which gives the surface a mirror shine. The quality of patent leather largely depends on the properties of the varnish coating, which must have a certain thickness, the necessary ductility and resistance to repeated bending. Benign patent leather should have a shiny, streak-free film, uniform color. An amazing glossy, shiny coating gives natural patent leather an exquisite originality, but unfortunately, it has poor strength and low resistance to temperature influences. At temperatures below -10°C and above +25°C, patent leather becomes covered with cracks. Patent leather shoes are not recommended to be worn in bad weather. Due to dampness and street dirt, the shiny varnish surface gradually becomes dull and becomes covered with small cracks. Patent leather shoes require special careful care. Periodically, shoes are lubricated with glycerin, petroleum jelly or castor oil to protect it from premature cracking in heat or frost, store patent leather shoes should be wrapped in paper.

Lady's handbag made of genuine patent leather.

Men's boots made of genuine patent leather.

Compiled by: Patlakh V.V.
http://patlah.ru

"Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods" Patlakh V.V. 1993-2007

There are only two types of genuine leather and they all differ from each other. In this article you will learn about what types of genuine leather there are.

Genuine leather may vary:

1. By type of animal:

Pigskin is the cheapest. Used to make the most budget-friendly shoes and linings. Cheap leather jackets are also made from it.

Oxhide is thick, tough and lasts much longer than pork. Belts, some bags, backpacks and jackets are made from it.
- Cow leather is quite tough, the strength is slightly lower than that of calf leather. Most inexpensive and mid-price shoes are made from it.
Calfskin is soft and highly durable, with virtually no creases. Shoes, bags, jackets are made from it.
- Sheep leather is soft and durable. It is used to make bags, jackets, gloves, belts - mostly premium ones.
- Goatskin is soft and dense. Used to produce expensive gloves, wallets, purses and accessories.
- Deerskin is soft and pleasant to the touch, retains its shape well and retains heat. Products made from it are rarely found on sale.
- Crocodile leather is durable. Shoes, bags, jackets are made from it.
- Snake skin has an original appearance. Shoes, bags, jackets are made from it.
- Ostrich leather is soft and elastic; it is used to make shoes, jackets, raincoats and luxury accessories.

2. According to processing and painting methods

Aniline coating is a finish that adds shine to leather and slightly evens out the surface. Unlike varnish, this coating has an unexpressed shine and is more transparent.

Tanning is a chemical process that turns animal hides and skins into tanned leather. The process uses acids, alkalis, salts, enzymes and tannins to dissolve fats and non-fibrous proteins. Vegetable tanning is based on the chemical action of plant materials containing tannin (tannic acid). The skins are soaked in cauldrons in a strong solution of these substances. Chemical tanning uses mineral salts such as chromium sulfate. Tanning can also be done using fish oil and synthetic types of tannin.

Suede

Suede has always been highly valued among knowledgeable people. This material is not for the lazy. Because it requires special care. First you need to define the terms and understand how to choose the right thing made of natural suede. Or rather, how not to buy fake faux suede.

And what is suede anyway? Suede is leather obtained from the hides of deer or sheep by fat tanning.

Natural suede is breathable and looks very elegant and sophisticated. Natural suede perfectly allows water to pass through, but as it swells it becomes waterproof. Today, many famous designers make elegant bags from suede.

When choosing a suede item, you need to remember that:

1. Natural suede should always have small scratches and pores;
2. By running your finger over natural suede, you will leave a trace of a different shade. The color of natural suede generally by its nature cannot be monochromatic;
3. Fine natural suede cannot be cheap;
4. Natural suede should subtly smell like leather. Faux suede either has no odor at all or has a faint synthetic odor.

Nappa

Nappa is treated cattle leather, which is distinguished by its high ductility, softness and very even coloring. Durable, but not very expensive. For example, leather jackets are made from it.

Velours

Velor is chrome-tanned leather, finished on the bakhtarma side to look like velvet using special grinding.

Suede

Suede - leather made from the skins of any not very large animals; the front side is melon; the pile is thick, but not fluffy and without shine; the skin is soft and does not absorb water well.

Shagreen

Shagreen is a soft vegetable tanned leather made from the skins of sheep or goats, which has a beautiful fine relief pattern.

Laika

Laika - leather made from the skins of sheep, goats, dogs; tanning with aluminum alum using salt, flour and yolk; the leather is very soft, thin, flexible, and is used to make gloves.

Nubuck

Nubuck is a fine-haired leather of cattle (cow or calf), similar to suede, velvety to the touch.

patent leather

Patent leather is smooth leather coated with a special varnish on top. Products made from it can only be worn at temperatures from −10 to +25 degrees and only in dry weather.

Faux leather

Artificial leather is a polymer material used instead of natural leather for the manufacture of shoes, clothing, haberdashery and technical products. It is made by applying a polyurethane film coating to a fabric base. Modern artificial leather- These are complex multicomponent composite polymer materials of diverse purposes and composition. Depending on which polymer is used, the corresponding prefix is ​​used in the name: elasto (elastomers (rubbers) are used), vinyl (polyvinyl chloride), amido (polyamides), nitro (nitrocellulose), urethane (polyurethanes).

Boiled leather

Boiled leather is vegetable tanned leather that has been immersed in hot water, boiling wax, or similar substances to increase its strength. Historically, such leather was used as armor and armor, due to its hardness and light weight, and also as a raw material for book bindings.

Vegan

Vegan - vegetable tanned, cattle or pork leather with a thickness of 1 to 3 mm. Designed specifically for the manufacture of carved elements that are widespread in subcultures, among bikers, as well as in the manufacture of traditional elements of costume and everyday life of residents of the Western United States (belts, saddles, holsters, sheaths, etc.).

Parchment

Parchment is a leather that gets its name from the name of the Greek city of Pergamum. This is rawhide, made from the skins of lambs, kids, and calves. It is used to make musical instruments, such as drums, some machine parts, book bindings, and women's jewelry. In the old days it served as the main material for writing.

Morocco

Saffiano is a thin, soft leather of special tanning (vegetable tanning), bags and cases from which are resistant to scratches and stains and are easy to clean.

Spilyuk (split velor)

Split leather (split leather velor) is a layer of leather obtained as a result of lamination (sanding). Used for making shoes, clothing, furniture. Small split grains and split grains (thin edges cut off) are used to prepare technical gelatin, glue and other collagen dissolution products.

Cheprak

Cheprak is a thick, dense leather produced by fat tanning from cattle hides taken from the back of the animal. It is the thickest type of genuine leather. It is used in the manufacture of saddles and all parts of harness, belts, trunks (musical, travel and sports), jewelry and accessories.

Shagreen

Shagreen is leather with a decorative pimpled surface. There is soft, vegetable or alum tanned, and hard, which is raw leather. Usually made from goat or sheep skins. A type of shagreen - galyusha - is made from raw skins of shark or stingray, which have a natural roughness.

Chevrette

Chevrette is a durable and elastic leather made from sheep skins through chrome tanning. Used in the textile industry, used in the production of outerwear, footwear and various haberdashery products.

Shero

Chevreau is a soft, dense, durable leather made by chrome tanning from goat skins, and later lamb, sheep and calf skins, used for shoes. Used for sewing haberdashery, bags, purses or dress shoes. Chevro is produced in Spain and Italy.

Floater

Floater is soft leather, but quite dense. It is ideal for making classic cases, purses, purses, bags, briefcases, business card holders and similar products.

Cheprak

Cheprak - leather raw material, the densest part of the skin; used for the production of belts.

Yuft

Yuft is a thick leather produced by fat tanning from cattle hides taken from the belly of the animal. The leather is very durable and they even say that if leather jacket if you accidentally get caught in the head of a nail in your yuft, there is a greater chance that the nail will fly out of its fastening than the jacket will tear. Most often, it is used in the shoe industry, mainly for paramilitary units and security structures. The upper of the shoe receives an almost indefinite guarantee of wear resistance.

Madras

Softy

SOFTI is a classic leather, universal in its application. An excellent choice for both shoes and leather goods, since leather has all the necessary characteristics both in quality and durability.

We have listed for you almost all types of genuine leather, we hope you found it interesting!

In our online store, as well as men's, are made only from the best types of leather. Hurry up to choose the option that suits you only!

One of the most valuable materials for making high-quality leather is cow hide. It makes her beautiful stylish clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, drive belts, furniture upholstery. The correct dressing procedure allows you to obtain a soft smooth skin, which does not crack or break. Products made from it are distinguished by their strength and durability. These products retain their visual appeal for many years, without losing their relevance in the cycle of the latest trends in modern fashion.

Types of calfskin

The skin of a young bull and calf is the most valuable raw material for the production of high quality products. Depending on the age of the animal, the quality characteristics of such material have their own characteristics.

Even calves that are not yet born provide a source of leather for humans. It is called “slime” and has a thickness of 1 to 1.4 mm. The most valuable material, which is distinguished by softness, tenderness, and elasticity, is “opoek”. This is the skin of baby cattle up to six months old that are breastfed. Its thickness is 0.5-1.4 mm. “Growling” and “half-skinned” are respectively supplied by adolescent cattle up to 1 and 1.5 years of age. This material is harder and thicker (up to 3 mm). “Cow”, “bull” - the skin of a young cow (4 mm) and a bull (5 mm), which must be sawed in accordance with proven technology.

Properly tanned calf skin is of particular value. To repair the source material, a careful approach to the study of processing technology and accuracy is required.

What is animal skin used for?

Leather production has a rich history and tradition. Since ancient times, man has learned to tan animal skins at home. The resulting material served as the basis for the production of shoes, clothing, bags, belts, and later, unique accessories.

Natural cow leather can be classified according to its purpose and finishing method. Its thickest version, characterized by increased strength and wear resistance, is used for shoes, horse tack, and belts. More soft material Ideal for clothing and bags.

In accordance with the method of processing and coloring, cattle skins are divided into several types, which are called differently. They will be discussed below. Moreover, this taxonomy takes into account the areas of skin on the animal’s body that are used for tanning.

Classification by type and method of leather processing

Aniline leather is the highest quality variety of this material. It is obtained through the process of dyeing with organic dyes with minimal technological processing.

“Bychina” is the skin of a bull, which is best suited for manual, mechanical embossing. Such a durable material up to 5 mm thick can be used for a very long time, maintaining its visual appeal and properties.

“Nappa” is a high-quality semi-aniline material, it is particularly elastic and soft. Its variety is considered “Napplak”, which is obtained by applying varnish.

“Scoop” is a dense, heavy, thick leather. To make it using the fat tanning method, the skin of cows is used from the back. Its more plastic version will be called “Shora”.

“Yuft” is obtained from skin taken from the abdominal region of adult animals. In the process of fat tanning, after washing, fleshing, trampling, kneading, cutting and a number of other operations, a thick, but plastic and soft material is obtained.

Preparing harvested skins for dressing

The harvested cow hide must meet certain requirements, so from the very beginning you should adhere to strict rules technologies.

The technological scheme for preserving cattle skins using the dry method consists of the following important points:

• cleaning from residual fat and meat;
• cooling the material on a flat surface in a straightened form with the fur down;
• generous application of table salt without iodine;
• drying the skin for several days until it becomes dry and stiff.

After this, leather tanning at home must be preceded by sorting. This creates conditions for long-term storage. In addition, the size, thickness of the core layer and weight of the material are taken into account. This allows you to accurately calculate the amount of necessary reagents that will be used during processing.

Tanning leather at home

Cow skin can be processed with your own hands without much difficulty. There are many ways to tan leather. A method based on the use of sour milk has become widespread. The skins, previously soaked in clean cold water, must be rubbed with coarse salt. Then the wet-salted pieces should be placed in piles, skin side down, and kept for three days. After this, you need to carefully remove the salt, squeeze, knead, and pulp the material. Place it in a container with one liter of sour milk, outer side down, for three days, stirring the milk occasionally.

https://youtu.be/j_ALwzE8drY

At the end of this process, washing, tanning and fattening are carried out.

Tanning hides at home requires effort and certain skills, so it is rarely possible to achieve an excellent result the first time.

Over time, when mastering individual operations, the overall quality of work done by hand improves.

Soaking and fleshing of cattle skins

To make cattle skin soft, it should be soaked in two stages successively. First in clean water for four hours, and then keep for twelve hours in an aqueous solution of salt. To prepare such a mixture, 20 g of salt per 1 liter of water is required. For 1 kg of skin you need 8 liters of solution.

After this treatment, the subcutaneous layer of wet-salted skin sections should be easily removed. If there is no such effect, then the soaking time must be increased. To prevent bacterial infection, use furatsilin in the amount of 6 tablets per 10 liters of water.

Flesching refers to the process of removing the fat layer located under the skin of an animal. This work can be done manually or using a special device in the form of a rotating round knife. This procedure should be carried out carefully, since the hair follicles are thick skin may suffer greatly due to poor quality cutting. You need to start from the tail and cut off the fat layer evenly from the axial center to the periphery.

Washing, pickling and pickling

The next stages after fleshing are called washing and pickling.

The cow's skin is thoroughly washed with warm water using detergents. To do this, it is best to use a solution in which 10 g of laundry soap, and sometimes soda ash, are dissolved in 1 liter of water.

To change the structure of the skin, the skins are placed inside a solution consisting of water, acetic acid - 0.15% and sodium chlorine - 0.04%. In this case, the entire mass must be stirred periodically for 12 hours. When a white stripe appears on the fold of the material when squeezed, it is ready.

Pickling can be replaced by fermentation inside an aqueous solution of barley or oatmeal. To prepare it, you need to add an infused solution to heated water, which is prepared from a liter of water, 60 g of salt and 100 g of flour. The fermentation process requires constant monitoring, since it is impossible to overexpose the material inside the solution.

Tanning procedure

Cow hide for increased resistance to impacts chemical substances is tanned. A solution prepared from 1.5 g of chromium oxide dissolved in a liter of warm water is used. The material should be placed inside the solution for 6 hours and stirred periodically.

At home, you can use crushed oak bark, nettle, willow branches, alder in the amount of 250 g, which is dissolved in one liter of water with 60 g of salt, and then boiled for half an hour and filtered. The animal skin is placed inside the solution for 6 hours.

Fatliquoring

This process requires a special emulsion, which is prepared according to the following recipe.

Dissolve 200 g of laundry soap shavings, 10 g of ammonia and 80 g of any fat in water heated to medium temperature. This composition must be used to evenly treat the inner layer of the skin. To do this, use a soft swab or brush. After this procedure, the skin must be kept in piles for 24 hours.

Thus, the knowledge of how to tan cattle leather correctly is available to anyone. Strict adherence to the rules of technology, accuracy, conscientious work will bring consistently good results.

Have you ever tanned hides? If this article has aroused interest, please leave your comments.

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